1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hydroponic technology, and more particularly to a hydroponic system having a plant dipping function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydroponic techniques have been intensively used in our daily life to raise vegetables and fruits. Covering a hydroponic system with a proper net or installing a hydroponic system in a greenhouse may raise plants without any agricultural pesticides, avoiding part of plant diseases by traditional soil farming.
A conventional hydroponic system generally comprises a hydroponic tank holding nutrient solution, and at least one rectangular carrier floating on the nutrient solution in the hydroponic tank. Each rectangular carrier has a plurality of vertical holes respectively attached with one respective perforated dish for holding seedling. The growing plants carried in the perforated dishes on the rectangular carrier can absorb water and nutrients through root from the nutrient solution in the hydroponic tank.
Plants can absorb nutrients not only through the roots but also through the stems and leaves. Therefore, dipping growing plants in the nutrient solution in a hydroponic system facilitates the whole growing plants to absorb nutrients rapidly, eliminating the problem of slow absorption due to limited transfer of nutrients from the roots through the stems to the leaves or other tissues.
In view of the aforesaid problems, the present applicant filed to the local patent office a patent application on May 14, 2010, under number 099115393, entitled “Hydroponic system”, which includes a hydroponic tank equipped with at least one water intake pipe and at least one discharge pipe and holding a nutrient solution, a carrier unit having a first carrier and a second carrier for carrying or growing plants, wherein the specific gravity of the first carrier and the second carrier is smaller than the specific gravity of the nutrient solution, and the total buoyancy of the first carrier totally immersed in the nutrient solution subtracting the gross weight of the first carrier is greater than the total buoyancy of the second carrier and the plants thereof totally immersed in the nutrient solution subtracting the gross weight of the second carrier and the plants thereof, and a guide mechanism, which includes guide members located corresponding to the first and second carriers and a drag rope inserted through each pair of guide members and connected between the first carrier and the second carrier. When adding one unit-height of nutrient solution to the hydroponic tank through the water intake pipe, the first carrier is lifted with the raising fluid level and the second carrier with the attached growing plants are lowered for 2 unit-heights relative to the fluid level so that the roots, stems and leaves of the growing plants at the second carrier can absorb nutrients from the nutrient solution.
The aforesaid hydroponic system enables the roots, stems and leaves of the growing plants to be dipped in a nutrient solution to absorb the necessary nutrients from the nutrient solution, and also enables one carrier and the attached growing plants to be lifted with the fluid level of the hydroponic tank for one unit-height and the other carrier and the attached growing plants to be lowered for 2 unit-heights relative to the fluid level of the hydroponic tank when adding an amount of the nutrient solution to the hydroponic tank for one unit-height, thereby satisfying the practice of energy saving and carbon reduction.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a hydroponic system having a simplified mechanical structural design that enables at least one carrier and the plants thereof be lowered for 2 unit-heights relative to the fluid level of the hydroponic tank when adding an amount of the nutrient solution to the hydroponic tank for one unit-height, shortening the water pump operating time and achieving energy saving and carbon reduction.